Transverse testing machine



Oct. 2o, 1931'. v, WATTS 1,827,805

TRANSVERSE TESTING MACHINE Filed April 16, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR V2 E2 Wai/S EY @mgmmg ATTO R N EY ct. 20, 1931. V, E WATTS TRANSVERSE TESTING MACHINE Filed April 16, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY several views:

Patented Oct. 20, 1931 umTanfSTTE-s v taza-ees VILAS E.'WA'ITS, 0F SACRAMENTQfCALIFORNIA, .ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO GEORGE (''.Y IPOMEROY5-OF SACRAMENTOr/GALIFORNIA n TnANsvERsE TESTINGMACHVINE p Appncatio'iua April 1e,` i930. serial Ne. 444,704.

This invention relates ,to testing devices and particularly to one for testing the'breakingstrength of beams. My testing device has Y beenespecially-developed"with a view to test-V 5 ing the-strengthof concreteused in highways,-to determine whether the vconcrete is in a.v proper condition for service. When building concrete highways it is customary to pour a testbeam from the samemix as that le' actually used on the road. vIt has also been determined that theconcrete must-*be allowed l i .beam support at the other end. i

' `to set fora certain length of time before being lsubjected tov live load strains in order that it shall standup under suchloads. To" obtaina'properresult from a test of such abeam itis necessary that the testing apparatus shallexert all pressures on the same 'perpendicular tothe horizontal axis 'of the beam and not to impose any secondary' 20 strains; and to provide a testing machine by which such results may be obtained ina simj v ple and easy'manner,` forms one of the major.

objects ofy my invention. f i

A furtherimportant 'object of the inven- Al Q5 tionis to construct the machine Aso that it is of a truly portable nature and Whichfwhile' having ample strength for its purpose, is still 4so light that it` may be'easily placed inthe back of any automobile fortransportai tionto one point or another.v 'Certain-partsfr of the machine are arranged yto be dismantled or folded iso as to makethe structure very compact when beingtransported. This enables the testing 'crew to convey the apparatus to f the beam, instead of'vi'ce versa.. `This allows'- the beams as poured on the jobto be kept there fortesting,instead of them having to be 'shipped to thetesting laboratoryas'must now be frequently'done. y A further object of the invention is to Vpro'- duce a simple and inexpensive device and 'yet one which will' be exceedingly effective` for the purpose for which this Ais designed. These objects I accomplish by means of 45 such structure and relativel arrangement ofV lparts asfwill fully appear by a perusal of the following specification vand Y claims.

Inthedrawings similarcharacters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the Fig. 1 isa perspective View of the testing l apparatus, with gabeam in place, and vshowing thev trammels disposed ,to properly aline `the .pressurebar relative rto the supporting Fig. 5 is a' perspecive View of ka trammel. Fig. 6 is aperspective view of a modified form of presser bar unit.

Referring nowmo`re particularly' to the characters of reference on the drawings,'and

at presentv to- Figs. 1 to 5, the numeral 1 denotes the main frameV or body member of v,the machine, preferably a beam lof inverted channel form soV as to be'very rigid without being? excessively heavy. This beam is supjported from the ground bya ltripod arrangement which comprises sockets 2 Yfixed* onand depending from the beam, one at Oneend and 'two at the other, inl whichlsocketis legs are removably mounted.y All the legs arerdisn posed at'jan outward v'slant'relative' to the longitudinal plane ofthe beam, `whilefthe. i

adjacent pair of legsfalso slope :outwardly relative to each other in a' transverse" plane. This arrangementr provides av firm..support l for the beams regardless of inequalities in the vsurface on which the tester may be set up.

Depending fromfthe outside of the beam on the opposite sidesof thesame'and adjacent its ends are pairs of hanger4 rods 4 having eyes -5 at their opposite ends.' Ther I upper eyes are freelyturnable on the outer` end portions of transversev shafts 6v secured in and projectingacross the beam asl shown in Figs. 3 'and 4. f

The lower eyes ofthe pair of rods atzone end of themachine turnably engage and support theends of a transverse shaft 7. This l shaft has abushing- 8 thereon o-n Awhich is fixed a flat faced bar 9 extending parallel to .the shaft or transversely'of -the beam 1. The

lowerV eyes of the other pair of hanger' rods also are freely'turnable" on and support a transverse shaft which tapers outwardly Y from both ends to its center of length. A

i bushing 11 is turnable on this shaft, the bore or bushing being the same size throughout and normally engaging the shaft only at lits center. of length or at the widest point. This allows the' bushing to swivel in a universal direction onrthe shaft as Well as allowing the same to turn thereon, as will be evident. A fiat bar 12 islsecured to the bushing 11 and extends parallel thereto or transversely of Y the beam 1. The shafts 6 4as well as the shafts 7 and 10 are provided on their-ends,"out wardly of the hanger rod eyes, with collars 13 to prevent the removal of said'shaft'relaptiveto the hangerk rods. A

jl is ahydraulictjacl leef standard make Y and of that type inlwhich the jack plunger v 2O Secured on and-depending fromthe beam 15 is inverted or sothat its advancing move-- ment is downwardly instead ofupwardly.

Y sure bar\18.- The beam 19 to be tested and formed from the same mixV used in the actual 1 road being built, can lbe ofany length and, .cross-section within' the capacityrof the ma- A sameas, or such that they may beeasily calf,

The jack is pro-vided with apressuregauge 16 wherebyany exerted pressure mayk be easily read. The jack ,is mounted so that its plunger is disposed in a vertical plane cen- `trally between theupper shafts Gand also` centrally ofthe width ofthe beam The vlower end of the plunger is cupped `and is' vadapted toengage a rounded Vknob. 17 pro;- jecting upwardlyfromthe center loflra preswhich, 4as indicated in the preamble, is

chine. V.Thisenables test readings to be the culated tocorrespo-nd-to, testsactually made on theroad itself if such were practicable.

`I rhebeam is supported on; the bars 9 andi 12, which, are somewhat widersthan thefbeam,"

asisthe bar 18. Owing to the swivel mount` s `ing of the bar-12,;as previously described,

both said b ars 9 and 12 willflatly engage f the under surfaceof the -beam regardless of,v

anyrelative warp which Vthe beammay have at its opposite ends. Itis essential incrder, for the test readingstofhavethe desired accuracy and to i denote `the actual strength of the beam thatthe bar18v shall becentrally Adisposed between the points of support of thebars v9 and 1,2; with the beam 19 on both "sides-of the latter; lthat said bar y18-shallex tend in atruetransverse plane, and that the f 4 distance `between theicenters of vthe shafts 7 Y and l0 shall bethesame as the distance be-` tween the centers of the fixed shafts 6. IV

a therefore 'provideV trammels for these parts. These trammels, one for each side`,each comte. Y

' notches 21y inl its lunder 'faceito seat over the prises a. rigid lightplate structure20 :having Y' bars 9 and 12 `on one end between the adjacent side ofthe beam 19 4and-the hanger rods;

and another notch 22 init-s upper face Vcen*- trally between the-notches 21 to locate the pressure bar 18. The spacing between the notches 21 is such that when engaged with the bars the vshafts 7 and 10 will be spaced apart exactly the same as the upper Vshafts 6.

the' knob17 thereon will be in directalinement with the jaclrplunger. The plunger is 1 then advanced so as to engage said knob and hold the bar firmly against the beam. s

' s The` trammels are then removed, which may be easily'done on account of the fact that the bottom` of the notches 22 are below the top; surface of thev beam and hence are not engaged and held down by the bar 18. The pressure is then exerted on the bar'18 byv adn V vs incingthe plunger. This is first doneV by the actuation ofthe reciprocating handle 14a with which the jack is ordinarilyequipped.

This however naturally imparts a somewhat `jerky or pulsating movement tothe plunger. I havethereforeprovided an auxiliary and added plunger advancingmeans which comprises a relatively small cylinder 23 con- .nected to the outer end of the jack cylinder,

with a-plunger in saidcylinder 23 in the VVformof a screw 24 provided on` its outer end with a crank-handle 25.` The nal advance of the jackplunger is therefore accomplished by: advancing the plunger 24V which imparts a steady advancing movement to the jack plunger. Such advance is continued until fracture of the concrete resultsv and the gauge reading recorded VIf the beam` withstands a specified pressure it is considered that the actual road is incondition to beput to use Thetest thusmade accurately corresponds tothe transverse strength'of the pavement slab, since owing to theparticular floating mounting of thebeam being tested, only vertical downward strains are imparted to the beam by the pressure of the ack. Such pressure vis without any lateral or other strains beingplaced .on the beamwhich would' render the test readings inaccurate. i VIn this `regard alone myv improved machine is a great improvement over the present machines in whichthe test .beam is mounted so thatsuch lateral orV other `uneven strains are 4produced inthe beam. y'

- Also my .apparatus is much lighterthan the previous devices, and it 4may be easily placed ,injarelatively small space for transportation 4by 'merely removing-the legs and i foldingthe hanger rods along the beam 1.

If it is desired to do so the apparatus may the test beam.'Y If desired however what is known as the third point bearing may be used in place of the center point method. This ybearing or pressure member comprises a top plate 26 having an upstanding knob 17 a cen-l trally of its'area to engage the jack plunger. From one-end of this plate a transverse knifeedge member depends, which engages a bar 27a resting on the test beam. At the otherV end of thek plate a similar beam engaging bar l i for detachable engagement with allsaid bars 28 is mounted. VThis bar however is flexibly suspended from the plate by links 29 connected to a cross shaft 30 which has swivel engagement with a sleeve 81 fixed on the plate. This shaft and sleeve'arrangement are the same Vas they beam supporting'shaft v 10 and bushing 11 previously described and for substantially the` same purpose, namelyV to enable the bars 27 and 29 to freely engage the beam regardless of any irregularities in the'transverse alinement of the surface por tions of the beam on which said bars rest.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.`

While this specification sets forth indetail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined'by the appended claims. Y

Having thusdescribed my inventionfwhat I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A beam testing machine comprising a rigid member, means for supporting said,y

member a certain dist-ance from the ground, longitudinally spaced bars to support a test beam adjacent its ends, means suspending the barfrom said member, and means mounted on said member to exert a downward pressure on the 'beam` intermediate the ends v thereof. y f j 2.v A beam testing machine comprising a rigid member, means for supporting said member a certain distance fromthe ground, hanger rods in pairs pivo-tedon and depend- .ing from the member; transverse bars supported by and extending between the corresponding pairs of bars'at the lower ends thereof, said bars being adapted to support a test-beam adjacent the ends thereof, and

means mounted on the member for exertingv .a downward pressure on .the beam intermedifate the.endsfthere'of.l f

' A structure as vin claim-:2in V'which yone lofthe'beariigsupporting barsY is lmounted for transverse "vertical swivel movement in connection with the corresponding pair of bars. A, Av beamtesting machine comprising. a rigid'V member,vr means vfor supporting' said membera Ycertain distance from the ground,

hanger rods in pairs pivoted on and depend-l` ing from the member; transverse bars; sup#l portedvby and extending between the corre? sponding pairs of bars at the lower ends thereof, said bars being adapted to support a testbeam` adjacent the ends thereof, another bar to rest 'on and extend across the beam in- -termediate its ends, and means mounted on the member to 'engage and exert a downward pressure on said last named bar.y f

v5. A structure las in claim 4, with` means to cause the hanger rods, and bars when engaged with the beam, to 'be parallel to each y other. Y l ,l Y '6 .-A beam testing machine comprising a rigid member, means for supporting said member a certain distance from theground,

' hanger rods in pairs pivoted on'and dependling fromthe member a transverse bark supported by and extending between one pair ofrods, at their lower ends, a shaft supportedvrends, and means mounted onthe member for exerting a downward pressure on the beam intermediate its ends. y Y

7.A A beam testing machine rigid member, means for supporting said comprising a member a certain distance from the ground, i

longitudinally yspaced bars to support a test beam adjacent its ends, means suspending the' bar from said member, a j ack mounted on and depending from theY member and. including a plunger disposed in a vertical plane centrally between the bars, and a bar to be engaged by the lower end of the plunger and to rest on and extend across the beam.

y 8. A beam testing machine including a pairl of spaced bars on which to supporta beam` adjacent ythe ends thereof, individual supporting means for the bars, and'V means incorporated with the supporting means of one barr to permit of limited universal swivel movement of the bar about its center of length as an axis.

9. beam testing machine including a pair of spaced bars on which to support a beam adjacent the ends thereof, means to individually and ioatably support the bars, a pressure bar t0 rest on the` beam intermediate its 

